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EAU CLAIRE, Wis.  Following more than a year of planning, Xcel Energy has filed an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to rebuild the electric transmission line that connects two company substations in Sawyer County.

The project involves reconstructing the existing 69 kilovolt (kV) transmission line, adding a 161 kV line and moving the companys substation on Polish Road in Radisson Township to a more open area nearby. When finished, the projects route will be approximately 20 miles long, depending on the final route selected.

The area has experienced growth and development of new homes and businesses over the past several decades, which has resulted in an increase demand on the electrical system, said Brad Nelson, project manager. Rebuilding the approximately 50-year-old transmission line and adding the new 161 kV line will ensure that local communities and customers continue to enjoy safe and reliable electricity.

In December 2010, Xcel Energy entered into an agreement with the La Courte Oreilles tribe to maintain or upgrade the existing 69 kV line on the current right-of-way through the LCO reservation.

Filing a CPCN begins a very comprehensive state process that provides many opportunities for involvement from landowners and others community members, Nelson said. The PSCW will determine the need and route for the project in a process which could take more than a year.

Pending PSCW approval, project construction is expected to begin in 2013, and the facilities could be operational by the end of 2014.